New York based heavy/power metal veterans Riot will continue to exist under the slightly altered Riot V moniker.

The change in name is due to the unfortunate passing of founding member Mark Reale (last year due to Crohn's disease - R.I.P.) and the departure of vocalist Tony Moore from the band, due to personal and health issues.

According to the issued press release, Reale used to separate the different phases of the Riot line-up on the grounds of former Riot singers, namely Guy Speranza (R.I.P.), Rhett Forrester (R.I.P.), Tony Moore and Mike Dimeo.

Riot performed live in Thessaloniki, Greece yesterday (2/11) and they kicked serious ass in front of 250 people. The played songs from their first - hard rock - period WHICH SLAYS, their '80s heavy/speed/power metal stuff (Thundersteel and Privilege of Power) and their most recent album Immortal Souls. The mosh pit when "Thundersteel" was performed live nearly wrecked the venue. Huge congrats are due to the ten metal fans that put money out of their own pocket to bring the band to Thessaloniki, as no "official" promoter took the risk of organizing Riot's almost sold-out Thessaloniki concert.

Bobby Jarzombek was absent due to obligations with Fates Warning, but Frank Gilchriest, band member in the Army of One album, was awesome at his drumming duties. The new singer Todd Michael Hall, is a great fit to the band and very communicative, although his extremely high-end vocal pitch is expected to be an acquired taste for some people. Second guitar duties were undertaken by newly recruited 24-year-old Nick Lee, who had to fill the giant shoes of Mark Reale (R.I.P.). Speaking of which, the band had on stage Reale's guitar case, with the man being given an awesome memorial.

The band has composed 7 songs for the new album as Riot V, with Hall tracking vocals on several of them.